Daphne in Concert

At Seattle Opera in 2025/26: Conductor, Daphne in Concert (‘26)
Seattle Opera Debut
Hometown: Feuchtwangen, Germany

Engagements: Conductor, Brahm’s Symphony No. 1, Schumann’s Piano Concerto A-Minor (NHK Symphony Orchestra); D’un soir triste, Knussen’s Concert for Violin and Orchestra, Pelleas und Melisande (Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra); Lohengrin, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto D-Minor, Pelleas und Melisande (Chicago Symphony Orchestra); Fidelio (Semperoper Dresden); Chief Conductor and Artistic Director (Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España)

Last updated: February 2025

At Seattle Opera in 2025/26: Associate Conductor, Daphne in Concert

Hometown: Guangzhou, China
Seattle Opera Debut

Engagements: Associate Conductor (Seattle Symphony); Conductor, Dear Humanity (Seattle Symphony Youth Chorus and Orchestra); La bohème (Chandler Opera Company); Così fan tutte Overture (Phoenix Symphony); Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 (Phoenix Symphony); Assistant Conductor, Buddha Passion (Seattle Symphony)

Last Updated: June 2025

At Seattle Opera in 2025/26: Lighting Designer, Daphne

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Seattle Opera Debut

Ranleigh joined Seattle Opera as the Assistant Lighting Designer for Orpheus & Eurydice (’22) and returned as a full-time staff member under the same title for the 22/23 season. She now serves as Seattle Opera’s Lighting Supervisor. In both roles, Ranleigh has supported guest lighting designers in their work on mainstage productions, including two world premieres. She oversees all lighting activities for the company and works closely with guest creative teams and in-house technicians to prepare and execute the designs for each production. Ranleigh also acts as resident designer for Seattle Opera’s additional programming, including the Youth Opera Project, Artist Recitals, Chorus Concerts, and many other events. Ranleigh holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Washington School of Drama.

Last Updated: May 2025

At Seattle Opera in 2025/26: Wigs, Hair, and Makeup Manager & Designer, The Pirates of Penzance; Fellow Travelers; Carmen; Hair and Makeup Manager & Designer, Daphne in Concert

Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Seattle Opera Debut: Hair and Makeup Intern, Giulio Cesare (2007)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Wigs, Hair, and Makeup Designer, Pagliacci ('24); Jubilee ('24); Lucidity ('24); Les Troyens in Concert ('25); The Magic Flute ('25); Tosca ('25); Supplemental Wigs, Hair and Makeup Designer, Das Rheingold ('23); Alcina ('23); X: The Life & Times of Malcolm X ('24); The Barber of Seville ('24)

Ashlee Naegle made a name for herself early on in her career by mastering the dying art of wig building. She created and designed for several companies around town until the Seattle Opera created an in-house Hair and Makeup Designer position for her in 2017. During her time as the in-house Hair and Makeup Designer, she has built a sizable wig collection, built a department, and set high standards for wigs, hair and makeup. With each production, her designs are custom built for the performers and their characters to create a believable façade for the audience as well as complement the costumes and production as a whole.

Last Updated: July 2025

Chorus Master

Hometown: Muscatine, IA
Seattle Opera debut: The Elixir of Love (’22)
Michaella Calzaretta made her Seattle Opera debut in 2022 as the company’s new chorus master and head of music staff. Acclaimed for her high standards and superb preparation skills, Calzaretta oversees all musical activities at the company and prepares the chorus for main stage productions. In January, the chorus embarked on their immensely successful first-ever tour to Mt. Vernon and Vashon Island. Recent praise includes “Her chorus was one of the stars... the voices were radiant” (Bachtrack) and “... the singers are both zesty and accurate (they’re also extremely nimble)” (The Seattle Times). Calzaretta is a doctoral candidate in choral conducting at Indiana University.

Last Updated: July 2024

Production Stage Manager

Hometown: Houston, TX
Seattle Opera Mainstage Debut: Les Troyens in Concert (’25)
Jonathan Moore (he/him) is thrilled to be a part of the Seattle Opera Production Team as Production Stage Manager. He has primarily worked in opera and ballet, including, most recently, a 4-season stint at the Houston Ballet. He has also stage managed for plays, musicals, a Fringe Festival, concerts, and a drag show. Favorite projects include a tour to Tokyo, an opera in a hot spring, and several operas in barns. He has worked across the country, including in New York, San Diego, San Antonio, Steamboat Springs, and Logan, UT.

Last Updated: February 2025

Assistant Stage Manager
At Seattle Opera in 2025/26: Daphne in Concert

Hometown: San Anselmo, CA
Seattle Opera Debut: Aida ('92)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Les Troyens in Concert (‘25); An American Dream (‘15); The Ring Cycle (‘00–13, ‘95); Pelleas et Melisande (‘93)
Engagements: Acis, Galatea & Polyphemus (Orpheus PDX); Forsythe County is Flooding (with the Joy of Lake Lanier) (Atlanta Opera); mindplay (Arena Stage); Freaky Friday (Alley Theatre, Cleveland Play House); Vanity Fair (Shakespeare Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre); Red Riding Hood (Seattle Children’s Theatre)

Last Updated: September 2024

Assistant Stage Manager
At Seattle Opera in 2025/26: Daphne in Concert (‘26)

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Seattle Opera Debut: Blue ('22)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Les Troyens in Concert (‘25); Bound (‘23); The Elixir of Love (‘22)

Engagements: The Skin of Our Teeth, The Tempest, What the Constitution Means to Me (Seattle Rep); Sweat (ACT Theatre); Candide (Alliance Theatre and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra); Eugene Onegin (Spoleto Festival)

Last Updated: September 2024